The key difference between tonsillectomy and tonsillotomy is that tonsillectomy is a surgical procedure that removes the tonsils completely, while tonsillotomy is a surgical procedure that removes the tonsils partially.
The tonsils are two oval-shaped pads of tissue at the back of the throat. Tonsils usually act as filters that trap germs that could otherwise enter the airways and cause infections. Tonsillitis refers to the inflammation of the tonsils. Viral and bacterial infections cause it. Tonsillitis is more common in children, teenagers, and young adults. Tonsillectomy and tonsillotomy are two surgical procedures that are used to treat tonsillitis.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Tonsillectomy
3. What is Tonsillotomy
4. Similarities – Tonsillectomy and Tonsillotomy
5. Tonsillectomy vs. Tonsillotomy in Tabular Form
6. FAQ – Tonsillectomy and Tonsillotomy
7. Summary – Tonsillectomy vs. Tonsillotomy
What is Tonsillectomy?
Tonsillectomy is a surgical procedure used to remove both tonsils. Tonsillectomy helps to treat breathing-related sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea and to reduce the risk of infection in people who have chronic tonsillitis. Tonsillectomy is mainly performed for children, and is currently performed over 500,000 tonsillectomy surgeries every year in the United States. Surgeons use different methods, such as heat method, cold knife dissection, snare tonsillectomy, harmonic scalpel, radiofrequency ablation, carbon dioxide lasers microdebrider, etc, in this procedure to remove tonsils.
Figure 01: Tonsillectomy
Tonsillectomy surgery may provide benefits such as better sleep, fewer infections, and improved quality of life. However, some possible risks of tonsillectomy may include infection, excessive bleeding, swelling of the tongue, reaction to anesthesia, and post-surgical bleeding.
What is Tonsillotomy?
Tonsillotomy is the partial removal of tonsils. Studies show that compared to tonsillectomy, children often recover more quickly with less pain with this surgical procedure. However, in some children, the tonsils grow back after a tonsillotomy, and their symptoms also return. A surgeon may perform this condition if a patient has obstructive sleep apnoea, recurrent infections, tonsil stones, trouble swallowing, a tumor in the throat or nasal passage, bleeding from tonsils that cannot be stopped, a significant block of the nasal passage, and uncomfortable bleeding. Tonsillotomy can be performed by using microdebriders, bipolar electrosurgical scissors, or radiofrequency ablation devices.
Moreover, tonsillotomy is comparatively less painful, and children often recover more quickly. However, the risks associated with tonsillotomy may include bleeding, dehydration, fever, and breathing difficulties due to swelling around the area of the surgery.
What are the Similarities Between Tonsillectomy and Tonsillotomy?
- Tonsillectomy and tonsillotomy are two surgical procedures used to treat
- Both surgical procedures are mainly performed in children.
- They help to relieve upper airway obstruction.
- They can be performed by using heat, microdebriders, and radiofrequency ablation.
- Both surgical procedures have benefits as well as risks.
What is the Difference Between Tonsillectomy and Tonsillotomy?
Tonsillectomy is a surgery for removing tonsils completely, while tonsillotomy is a surgery for removing part of the tonsils. Thus, this is the key difference between tonsillectomy and tonsillotomy. Furthermore, tonsillectomy is a more painful procedure, while tonsillotomy is a less painful procedure. More often, children recover more quickly after tonsillotomy than tonsillectomy.
The infographic below presents the differences between tonsillectomy and tonsillotomy in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
FAQ: Tonsillectomy and Tonsillotomy
What are the two types of tonsillectomy?
Two types of tonsillectomy are traditional tonsillectomy and intracapsular tonsillectomy. In traditional tonsillectomy, the capsule of the tonsil is removed with the tonsil, while in intracapsular tonsillectomy, only the tonsil is removed, keeping the capsule left behind.
Is tonsil removal a major surgery?
Tonsil removal is a routine and minor procedure performed in children.
What is tonsil removal surgery called?
Tonsillectomy refers to the complete removal of tonsils, while tonsillotomy refers to the partial removal of tonsils.
Summary – Tonsillectomy vs. Tonsillotomy
Tonsillitis is the inflammation of the tonsils located at the back of the throat. A viral infection or a bacterial infection usually causes it. Tonsillectomy and tonsillotomy are two surgical procedures that are used to treat tonsillitis. In tonsillectomy, surgeons remove both tonsils completely. On the other hand, in tonsillotomy, surgeons remove a part of the tonsils. So, this summarizes the difference between tonsillectomy and tonsillotomy.
Reference:
1. “Tonsillectomy: Procedure Details and Recovery.” Cleveland Clinic.
2. Windfuhr, Jochen P., and Jochen A. Werner. “Tonsillotomy: It’s Time to Clarify the Facts – European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology.” SpringerLink, Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Tonsillectomy” By Eleonoreo – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia